Philosophy 361			Ethics			Darwall	Fall 1997

FINAL EXAM STUDY QUESTIONS

1.  “Happiness is desirable, and the only thing desirable, as an end.” (Mill, 
Utilitarianism, IV.2)  “Verbally there is very general agreement; for both the general 
run of men and the people of superior refinement say that it [“the highest of all goods 
achievable by action”] is happiness, and identify living well and faring well with being 
happy.” (Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics I.4)
	Taking off from these passages, compare and contrast Mill and Aristotle on 
the good.  Give special consideration to:  the relation between virtue and the good, 
the relation between pleasure and happiness, and how Mill and Aristotle can hold 
there to be a single most final good while, apparently, holding that there are a variety 
of intrinsic goods.

2.  Critically compare and contrast Aristotle on a good human life's involving rational 
activity with what Kant says about the relation of morality to practical reason.  What 
do we learn from this about the fundamental differences between their views of ethics 
and morality, respectively?

3.  Critically discuss the issue of ethical relativism, both in its own terms and in 
relation to the ideas of one of, Aristotle, Kant, or Nietzsche.

4.  Briefly discuss the distinction between metaethics and normative ethics and the 
fundamental dilemma of metaethics.  Then, taking one of Aristotle, Mill, Nietzsche, or 
Kant as your example, discuss that philosopher's response to this dilemma and also 
what light the philosopher’s metaethical views shed on his normative ethical position.

5.  Critically compare and contrast Aristotle’s and Mill’s methodology in their 
respective arguments about the good.  What role does intuition play in each?  What 
do we learn from this and other methodological aspects concerning their respective 
metaethical positions?  And how does each use his respective method to relate the 
good life to the virtues?

6.  Critically compare and contrast Aristotle on practical wisdom and its role in his 
ethics with Kant on practical reason and its role in his.  What do we learn from this on 
the character of the ethics of each?

7.   Discuss Kant's position on the moral worth of actions in light of Gilligan's "ethics 
of care," and vice versa.  Critically assess the objections each would make to the 
views of the other, and their respective replies, illustrating what general issues 
between their respective views are at stake.

8. Compare and contrast the Kantian demand that we act in accord with principles we 
could legislate in a Kingdom of Ends with rule-utilitarianism. 

9.  Critically discuss Nietzche’s critique of morality, present what you think is the best 
defense of morality (Mill, Kant, or theological voluntarism) and Nietzche’s best 
replies.  Who is right and why?  (Answer only if you didn’t write the second papar on 
question 3.)